Just hours after announcing new plans to shut down energy development on federal lands, Washington, D.C. insiders report Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has been given the green light to run for Colorado governor. (http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/01/06/salazar_bid_fine_with_white_house.html)

And with the power of the White House behind him, you can bet Salazar has an inside track to the nomination.

But why would he give up a cushy job in D.C. to roll the dice and gamble on winning a tougher job in Denver?

Could it all be about who has control over Colorado’s state-controlled land?

You see, Salazar’s announcement that he was trying to shut down energy development (and the jobs and revenue it would create) only covers federal lands.

But radical Greens would love nothing more than to get state-controlled lands in their grasp as well. And they are working hard to shut down all energy development in Colorado, despite the fact it will send thousands of Coloradans to the unemployment line and send taxes skyrocketing and budget deficits spiral out of control.

Is Ken Salazar ready to serve up Colorado’s taxpayer-owned lands to radical Green interests, destroying jobs, raising taxes and making utilities more expensive in the process?

WTP will be keeping an eye on this development.